The world’s most affordable retiree residency program...
an absolutely bargain cost of living...and of beachfront property...as well as friendly and welcoming locals...

Plus killer surf breaks...

This is the story of one of the world’s most popular retiree and investment havens that dropped off the face of the earth…

but is now poised for a serious comeback...

Nicaragua Rising

Retire to the beach on as little as $1,040 per month...

Own a place of your own in the most romantic city in the Americas for $45,000 or less...

Here’s your chance to get in before the rest of the world remembers all this country has to offer...

Dear Live and Invest Overseas Reader,

Own a place of your own in Granada, the
most romantic city in the Americas,
for $45,000 or less...

Nicaragua’s story has been anything but dull these past 40+ years. Political unrest, civil war, economic disaster... then a renaissance. The Sandinistas were pushed aside, and the free market was given a chance.

During those sunny days, the tourists came, followed by the speculators, the property investors, and the retirees. Speculation turned to frenzy, and beachfront property prices were pushed up and up and up, with seemingly no end in sight.

Then came 2008. Nicaragua, like many markets worldwide, fell hard in its aftermath.

Now, seven years later, this country is re-emerging to retake her place among the most appealing bargain lifestyle and retirement choices in the world.

Tourists are returning. The nation welcomed one million of them in a calendar year for the first time in its history in 2010 and continues to see more visitors all the time. Tourism was up a further 7.2% the first months of this year over last.

Not only tourists, but property buyers, retirees, and foreign investors are beginning to find their way back to this country, as well. Times were tough for Nicaragua 2008 through 2011, but times are changing. Our colleagues on the ground report that 2013 was a turnaround year. 2014 was even more active, and growth continues this year at a healthy rate. The numbers support these boots-on-the-ground observations. In 2013, foreign direct investment (FDI) in this country increased 17% from 2012 and continues to expand.

"We are getting so much great information! Thank you!
You are answering questions we never even thought to ask."

-- Sheila Strong, United States

In other words, it seems the world is again ready to put this country’s politics aside and focus on all Nicaragua has to offer. When you do that, what do you have?

You have a long coast along which the Pacific Ocean crashes just as dramatically and just as beautifully as it does across the border in Costa Rica, where you’ll pay four or five times as much or more for the privilege of owning a little piece of it.

You have rolling, diverse countryside... and warm, welcoming people with a lot of heart. People intent on putting their troubled past behind them and getting on with the business of rebuilding their country.

You have a land of lakes, beaches, national parks, exotic islands, and charming colonial towns, including the oldest city in the Americas.

You have one of the world’s most pristine environments, featuring an enormous variety of flora and fauna.

You have a country that offers investor tax incentives and that has quietly launched the most affordable retiree residency program in the world.

This Is One Of The World’s Cheapest Places To Retire Well

The cost of enjoying all this diverse and beautiful country has to offer is about as bargain-basement as it gets. Nicaragua is one of the most affordable places in the world to enjoy a comfortable, full, and rich retirement. A couple could retire here on a budget of as little as $1,040 per month.

"I think the info and people
I've met are super high quality and in the first day has more than paid for the expense of the trip."

-- Taylor Metts, United States

The medical care is both inexpensive and excellent. The Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas in Managua, opened in May 2004, is considered the best private hospital in all Central America. It provides first-class full-service care 24 hours a day. Along with a modern emergency room and pharmacy, there is also a superb laboratory that provides the same tests as European or American units but at a fraction the price. Hospitalization costs about $100 a day, all in. Take that, Medicare.

If you enjoy sunshine, warm temperatures, and ocean and lake breezes, you’ll love it here. And a recently published report from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) names Nicaragua the safest country in Central America.

Turn-Key Retirement With As Little As $600 Per Month

A number of countries offer retiree residency visas, typically referred to as “pensionado” programs. Nicaragua’s is the cheapest of them all.

To qualify for “retiree” residency in Nicaragua, all you have to do is show a monthly income of at least $600 per month. This can be from Social Security or a government or private pension.

Furthermore, you can become a pensionado in this country as young as 45 years of age.

As a pensionado in Nicaragua, you:

Pay no tax on out-of-country earnings...

Can bring up to $20,000 worth of household goods into the country with you duty-free...

Can import one automobile for personal use duty-free and sell it after five years, if you’d like, without incurring any sales tax...

On my most recent visit, my traveling companion and I took taxis, ate out, enjoyed our share of Flor de Caña, and made a point of stopping in shops as often as we could. Everything from shampoo, bottled water, and pineapples to electronics, duffle bags, and washing machines is cheaper in Nicaragua than in Panama and an absolute bargain.

Breakfast for the two of us at my favorite Granada haunt, the Alhambra Hotel, was so cheap I re-checked the bill. Two plates of eggs, bacon, and toast, plus orange juice and hot tea, for about $5, including tax and tip. In Paris, you can’t buy two croissants and coffee for $5... and in Panama for 5 bucks you and your dining companion are eating empanadas out of a cart.

In Nicaragua everything is so affordable you never have to tell yourself no. Want to dine out? Enjoy late-afternoon aperitifs on the square? Drink and dance ‘til dawn? Take a taxi to Masaya or Catarina for a day at the market? Take a boat tour on the lake? Why not? Your budget, even if slight, can handle it.

A Land Of Opportunity For The Retiree And The Investor, Both

This is the time to be looking at this country again. The dog days are history, but prices remain low, both for living and for buying real estate. Further, while the property market has begun to rebound, developers and sellers who wouldn’t have considered discounting or special offering back in the boom times are much more open-minded.

"I feel much better prepared now and therefore more confident in planning to retire in another country"

-- Stephen Scott, United States

If you’re a would-be investor, I say again, right now is the time to move back into this market, whether you’re looking for a second home at the beach, a rental investment or a renovation project in one of the world’s premier colonial cities, land for speculation, or a full-service, turn-key gated community where you could plan for the Pacific coastal retirement you’ve been dreaming about your whole life.

Regardless your agenda—be it to live, to retire, to invest, or some combination thereof—the point is that Nicaragua is offering a great deal of opportunity that you should be paying attention to... right now.

It’s possible to get a really smokin’ deal on a piece of Pacific coastline... a stretch of sandy Caribbean beach... or a colonial architectural gem. You haven’t seen prices like these in this country in more than a decade.

And you may not ever see them again.

The Most Romantic City In The Americas Is Home To One Of The World’s Biggest And Most Welcoming Communities Of Expat Retirees

The Spanish first landed in Nicaragua in 1522. Two years later the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Fernandez de Cordoba founded Granada, on the shores of Lake Nicaragua. The city considers herself the oldest in the Americas. The Spanish intended her to be a statement of elegance and a reflection of the perfection of the original Granada in Spain.

Over the centuries that followed her founding, Granada was burned and repeatedly robbed by the worst of the pirate hordes from the Spanish mainland. The difficult and rocky access from the Caribbean coast up the Rio San Juan did not prevent a burgeoning trade in exports and the importation of the finer things from Spain. Pirates, being pirates, began to follow the Spanish ships up the river and eventually across the lake to Granada. The last of the freebooters didn’t leave town until the mid-1850s. He was later executed for his hubris.

Granada has suffered a long cycle of destruction at the mercy of buccaneers and earthquakes. Yet this old girl continues to dust herself off and re-right her crown. The Sandinista revolution largely spared her further indignities, and today Granada is enjoying a renaissance. Her once cobbled streets have been largely paved over, but her colonial splendors remain and sparkle. The “Jewel of the Americas” shines once more.

Granada’s current rebirth is thanks to both private and public funding. Spain has restored some of the major thoroughfares with palms and paving. The rest of the rehabilitation is being carried out by wealthy Nicaraguans and retiring expatriates from all parts of the world. The street known as La Calzada is busy, day and night; on weekends, it’s wonderfully crowded. The central park is clean and fully alive again, its bandstand painted and put regularly to good use. There’s a new hospital nearby, donated by the Japanese.

Helping to resurrect and care for it all is an established, welcoming, and growing community of resident expat retirees from the United States, Canada, and beyond. Basing yourself in this historic, colorful city today, you’d have lots of like-minded company and many new friends to help you embrace and benefit in full from your new life in the most romantic city in the Americas.

I Did Nicaragua The Hard Way...

I visited Nicaragua for the first time more than 20 years ago. Imagine the incredulity I faced when I told my family and friends back then that I was traveling (alone... as a young woman) to Nicaragua.

Nicaragua is a natural wonderland of
beaches, lakes, rivers, volcanoes, and rain forests...

Arriving on the scene all those years ago, I discovered a country not too far down the road from civil war. When I looked beyond that, though, I was won over immediately. I’m a romantic who prizes potential over anything else. In Nicaragua’s dramatically beautiful coastline... historic colonial cities... charming mountain villages... and irrepressible, resilient people, I perceived enormous potential.

In the two decades since, I have made many return trips to Nicaragua. I have invested in real estate in this country, big and small. I have operated an office here, in Granada. I have led tours, sponsored conferences, met a president, and made many contacts. Most important to me, I’ve also made friends... who have also bought real estate, invested in property developments, built businesses, even raised families in this country. Now that I take a minute to reflect on it, my experience in Nicaragua has been not only long but also deep.

"Having expats attend and present is a huge plus; they provide such a wealth of real world experiences, and are contacts that will be so useful moving forward."

-- Colleen Reichert, United States

It has not, though, always been easy. Arriving on the scene early as I did, I struggled sometimes trying to identify opportunity, vet options, and figure out who in the world I could trust. Nicaragua is a land of promise. It’s also, in many regards, a land of cowboys.

I’ve been in love with Nicaragua since that first visit some 20 years ago, and I’ve enjoyed every experience in this country since, the good and the bad, because these experiences have left me with wonderful memories and great stories to tell.

I’ve had a grand time in Nicaragua these years. My one regret? That I didn’t have a guide to set me straight from the start. All the time and money I could have saved...

But You Don’t Have To Go It Alone

I made my way in Nicaragua on my own. But you don’t have to.

I believe, again, this is the time to be paying attention to this country. While nobody’s been looking, Nicaragua has begun to re-emerge as a top-tier retirement option. Certainly, it’s one of the world’s most affordable.

I’d like to make it as easy and efficient as possible for you to take a close-up look at all this beautiful and misunderstood country has to offer...

Live And Invest In Nicaragua Conference

Nov. 2–4, 2015
Managua, Nicaragua

That’s the plan for our second Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference.

Over three jam-packed days, we and our Nicaragua contacts, colleagues, advisors, and resources will introduce you to this country, end to end, coast to coast, all from the comfort and convenience of the meeting rooms at the Real Intercontinental Hotel Metrocentro Managua.

How a couple can retire well, enjoying a rich, comfortable lifestyle, on as little as $1,040 per month...

Granada is one of the most historic, welcoming, colorful, and affordable cities
in the Americas…

How to own one of the Spanish-colonial haciendas that this city’s premier colonial city Granada has become famous for... for as little as $50,000 or even less...

How and where to open a bank account...

Your best choices for a life at the beach, from Pacific Oceanside private communities to bargain-priced beach lots where you could build the beach home you’ve always dreamt of (but could never afford up north in California... or across the border in Costa Rica, either, for that matter)...

Your best options for health care...

How others have already launched new lives in this beautiful, affordable country... you’ll meet expat retirees who’ll share their firsthand tales of trials, tribulations, and, most important success reinventing themselves and their futures...

How to penetrate from the foreign to the local market to get the best property deals (both for sales and rentals)...

Where you can rent a charming place to call home for as little as $300 per month...

How to meet your new neighbors (local and expat), how to get involved with the local community, and how to make new friends...

Top options for investing in an income-producing property...

Top agricultural investment opportunities...

How to qualify for the country’s pensionado program... the most affordable retiree residency option in the world...

How to set up your new home... and ship your household goods into the country (if that’s what you decide to do)...

How to bring your pets into the country with you...

Where to shop (for groceries... household items... handmade furniture)... how to pay your local bills...

The best surf breaks... and the best fishing...

Plus: We’ll show you just how beautiful and diverse this land of lakes and volcanoes is...

"Once again superbly organized, well-delivered, on time, straightforward, with relevant topics."

-- Peter C., United States

The three days of this Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference will prepare you to launch your new life in this safe, welcoming, and, above all, affordable country with confidence. Every practical detail will be addressed, from residency to taxes, from banking to real estate, and from insurance to health care. You’ll leave the conference ready to take action whenever you’re ready.

Most important, you’ll benefit from the experience of those who have gone before you. At this conference you’ll hear from seasoned Nicaragua expats. Together, they will arm you with everything you need to know to decide if Nicaragua is the place for you... while introducing you to every resource and expert contact you’ll need to make your own Nicaragua dreams come true.

Oceanfront Retirement For $1,040 Per Month

San Juan del Sur Bay is a perfect 270-degree arc. To the north are forested slopes and a modest mountain topped by a large statue of Christ. Below the statue, private homes dot the slopes, running down to the golden sands of San Juan del Sur beach. The town itself, with its restaurants and bars, huddles by the seashore. Set on a point at the southern end of the arc is a boat yard and a fishing cannery. At any given time there are 50 or so boats in the harbor—sailing vessels, fishing boats, local lanchas, water taxis, sometimes a glossy-white cabin cruiser or two.

San Juan del Sur is Nicaragua’s most touristic destination and the gateway to the country’s south Pacific beaches, some with names, many not yet tagged. The town is home to some 13,000 souls, including many foreign retirees who embrace life beside the ocean. The surf is tame, the atmosphere low key.

As this is a fishing port, the restaurants feature fresh-caught seafood. If you're tired of that, drop in at Big Wave Dave’s, a half-block inland from the Iguana Bar on the beach (the one with the pirate motif). Dave, a refugee from the cold of Edmonton, Canada, moved here almost nine years ago and serves up a hamburger the size of a Frisbee. Try his house-blend hot sauce—there's a bottle on every table. One of Dave’s excellent Pina Coladas tames the flames.

The living expenses in San Juan del Sur, for the average resident expat, run to all of $1,040 per month or less. You can rent a two-bedroom house for $250 to $300 per month, leaving you plenty left over for the occasional monster-sized hamburger at Big Wave Dave’s.

Come, Discover This Land Of Lakes And Volcanoes, Rivers And Rain Forests

500-year-old Leon radiates with Spanish colonial charm…

Nicaragua is a land of contrasts at an interesting time in its development. The civil war is history, and Nicaraguans today want nothing more than peace and prosperity. Geographically, Nicaragua is blessed, with two long coastlines and two big lakes, plus volcanoes, highlands, rain forests, and rivers. In this regard, it’s got everything Costa Rica’s got, all less discovered, less developed, and available for the adventurer, eco-traveler, and budget-minded retiree at bargain rates compared with costs both in the United States and in Costa Rica or anywhere else in Central America.

Architecturally, too, Nicaragua is notable. Its two sister colonial cities, Granada and Leon, vie for the title of Oldest City in the Americas. Whichever story you believe (that the Spanish conquistadores settled first on the shores of Lake Nicaragua at Granada or, perhaps, a few months earlier in Old Leon), Nicaragua is the big winner, with impressive colonial-era churches, public buildings, and parks to her credit.

Nicaragua is a colorful land, from its red clay-tiled roofs to its powder blue church steeples... from the yellow, green, red, and blue facades of its centuries-old haciendas to the pink and purple bougainvillea that cascades down its inland hillsides. There are cloud forests, coffee farms, and miles of sandy beaches. Nicaragua is also home to some of the world’s best fiestas, fueled by one of the world’s best rums, Flor de Caña, produced at Chichigalpa near León.

"I can't tell you how good it feels
to get straight answers to my questions...
no hype and no baloney. Finally, I'm getting the real information and the advice I need."

-- Timothy S., United States

Because it has been so long misunderstood, ignored, and, frankly, feared, Nicaragua remains a frontier, a land for pioneers in search of opportunity and a new way of life. It is also, however (and herein lies the real opportunity), one of the most affordable places in the world for the would-be retiree. Nicaragua has opened its heart to those bold enough to overlook its past, ignore its headline-grabbing president, and embrace all that this country has to offer. Some 5,000 expats have already voted with their feet, half of them from the United States.

There’s plenty of room for more. The door is open, and the welcome mat is out...

Not For Retirees OnlyBy Nicaragua Expat Michael Cobb

My wife and I moved to Nicaragua 12 years ago. When we made the move, we had a 2-year-old daughter. Two years later, our second daughter was born, in Managua.

When we made the decision to move to Nicaragua, we also considered Belize, Panama, and Costa Rica. We like those other countries, too, and enjoy spending time in them, but Nicaragua just fit us better than anywhere else. For us, the big appeal was and is the lifestyle. This is a great place to raise kids. I always wished I’d had the chance to grow up in the 1950s. It seems like it was such a sweet, simple time. Now my daughters are getting that chance. We really do live a kind of “Leave It To Beaver” life. My girls are in ballet, gymnastics, and Girl Scouts. They don’t swoon over the latest teen idols because they don’t know who they are. I like that.

Seriously, Safety Is Not A Concern

The concerns most often voiced about Nicaragua center around safety and politics. Here’s what I can tell you based on my 12 years living in this country with my wife and two young daughters: Nicaragua is safe. We don't have body guards or drivers. My wife drives my daughters to school, to dance class...

My girls have made loads of Nicaraguan friends. Their friends come to our house for sleepovers, and my daughters go to their houses for sleepovers. Safety is never a concern.

My point is that not considering Nicaragua because of pre-conceived notions about safety would be a mistake.

After we’d been living here for about five years, we had some serious discussions about the idea of moving back to the United States, and they usually went like this:

“If we moved back, where would we put the kids in school? What would that cost? Would they get as good an education as they’re getting here? Where would we live, and what would that cost?”

We went back and forth... we considered different options... and every time we arrived back where we’d started. We really like living in Nicaragua. It’s not just that it’s much, much cheaper to live the kind of lifestyle we’re living here than it would be in the States. It’s more than that. Life isn’t just cheaper. It’s better.

This Is No Nanny State… And We Like That

We like the freedom we have here. In my view, the United States is becoming a nanny state. I don’t like that, and, frankly, that was one of the reasons we began looking into the idea of moving our family overseas in the first place.

How do we spend our time? Many weekends you’ll find us at the beach, where my girls are learning to surf.

Granada is only a 45-minute drive from our home. We make the trip there some weekends for lunch in one of the big old Spanish-colonial haciendas that have been renovated into restaurants. Behind the thick stone and adobe walls and under the high ceilings, the atmosphere is cool and comfortable even on the hottest days.

Next to Granada is the nearly mile-high extinct Mombacho Volcano. When guests are in town we take them to the zip-line course about halfway up the mountain. The course is 13 cables stretched from treetop to treetop. We strap into harnesses and zoom from platform to platform in the canopy about 75 to 130 feet above the coffee plantation below. It is exhilarating.

After this, we drive down to the lake and take a boat ride around some of the 350 small islands that were created when the volcano blew a side out about a million years ago. Our ultimate destination is always the same—Monkey Island, maybe 50 feet in diameter and covered with dense vegetation and trees. We bring bananas and oranges to feed the monkeys. Cheerios work, too. Usually a mama with a baby clinging to her back will come swinging through the branches and hop right onto the boat with us.

Perhaps our family’s favorite part of the country is Nicaragua’s mountainous highlands. These hold a special appeal for us. Selva Negra, a coffee plantation, eco-resort, self-sustainable farm nestled in the cloud forest at 4,500 feet above sea level, is a place we visit often. The granddaughter of the owner has become my oldest daughter’s best friend.

The climate here is much different than down at sea level—cooler days and even cooler nights.

A Richer, Fuller Life... Even On A Mini-Budget

For us, as I said, the big appeal of Nicaragua is the lifestyle it makes possible for our daughters. However, if I had to sum up the general appeal of Nicaragua it would be this:

This is a place where you don’t have to cut back on your lifestyle or your quality of life even if your budget is very small. You can have a richer, fuller life here and pay a lot less for it.

A Unique, Unforgettable, And Value-Packed Experience

The 2015 Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference is an exclusive opportunity to get to know Nicaragua in a way that’s simply not possible by any other means. We’ll have experts on hand from every part of the country, to help you with every aspect of living, retiring, investing, or starting a business here.

Live on your own private, habitable island
in Lake Nicaragua, starting at only $78,000…

The conference is action-oriented. Based on past experience, some attendees will begin the visa process during the event... or open bank accounts... or even buy a home.

Best of all—whether your interest lies in the mountains, the colonial cities, or on one of country’s coasts—we’ll have experienced expats and experts on hand to show you what life is really like in Nicaragua.

When you register for the Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference now, you take advantage of our Early Bird Discount and save a full $250 off the cost of your conference registration.

This Early Bird Discount is available for both members of a couple registering together. That means, you and your significant other can save a full $500 by reserving your seats in the room now.

Access to attendee-only property tours (optional), before and after the event...

Access to optional cultural, craft, and sightseeing tours...

Coffee breaks and snacks...

A welcome cocktail reception, and all sponsored lunches and events...

Seminar materials, notebooks, and handouts...

Downloads of all conference presentations after the event is over...

A complete set of professionally produced conference recordings...

Reserve your seat today by contacting our Conference Coordinators by email or by calling them at 1-888-627-8834. They'll have you booked and ready to go in minutes. If you'd prefer, you can use our convenient Online Registration Form.

The discount period is ending soon, and this event is selling fast...

Participation Is Limited For This
One-Of-A-Kind Nicaragua Event

If you’re shopping for the best place in the world to realize every dream you’ve ever had for your retirement... for where to reinvent your life at this important stage so that it’s everything you’ve ever hoped for and more... no matter the size of your retirement budget... I urge you to give Nicaragua a good look.

Where else in the Americas could you live a rich, full, interesting, adventure-filled life supported by an established and active expat community, international-standard health care, and some of the best Mother Nature has to serve up anywhere? Even if your retirement budget is limited?

I say: Get thee to Nicaragua!

We’ll meet you there.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Peddicord
Publisher, Live and Invest Overseas

P.S. The two-and-a-half days of our Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference will give you a complete introduction to current opportunities for living, retiring, investing, and banking in this up-and-coming friendly nation with two beautiful coasts.

However, to get a real feel for Nicaragua and to make a real determination as to exactly what you might want to do in this country, you'll want to spend time outside our meeting rooms exploring the coastlines and historic cities. That's why we've created the special VIP Attendee package. Here's how this works...

The first 25 readers who register for our Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference scheduled for Nov. 2–4, 2015 will receive:

VIP Transfer from the airport to your hotel...

Reserved VIP Front-Row Seating in the meeting room...

A free copy of my latest book, "How To Buy Real Estate Overseas" (I'll sign it for you when I meet you at the event)...

And (and this is the really great part) Nicaragua VIP Concierge Service from the moment you register until the event is over...

About that last one… for this event, how about if we put our conference staff at your disposal to make sure you get the maximum value out of every minute you're in Nicaragua to participate in the conference?

If you're one of the first 25 to register for our Live and Invest in Nicaragua event, all of our staff will be on hand, and their expat knowledge, experience, and judgment will be at your disposal. For obvious reasons, we can't extend this offer to everyone. We wouldn't be able to deliver.

But for the first 25 who sign on, we promise to provide an unparalleled level of support, both as you make plans for your visit and during your stay. You tell us what you need, and we'll help you find it. You tell us what you want to do, and we'll do everything we can to help make it happen.

Hotel bookings, airfare recommendations, lake tours, surfing lessons, snorkeling reservations… you name it, we’ll do our best to have you covered so that you enjoy your stay in Nicaragua to the fullest.

This VIP offer is a first-come, first-serve invitation, and I expect them to fill very quickly. I urge you, therefore, if you want to join us for this one-of-a-kind event, to get in touch with our Conference Managers immediately. When you do, we’ll confirm your VIP status and help get you started on all of the preparations you’ll make for the event.

P.P.S. This is the only Nicaragua event of its kind available anywhere and the only Nicaragua event on our calendar. Therefore, I urge you not to wait to reserve your place. If you are interested in joining Lief Simon and our top Nicaragua experts for this one-of-a-kind Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference, please get in touch now.

You can reach our Conference Coordinators by email or by calling them at 1-888-627-8834. They'll have you booked and ready to go in minutes. If you'd prefer, you can use our convenient Online Registration Form.

Swinging Contentedly In Her Hammock

While elsewhere in the region is working hard to make a name for itself in the First World, Nicaragua is swinging contentedly in her hammock.

While others in other countries in this part of the world are pushing for growth, development, and expansion... Nicaraguans are happy to sit back and enjoy the sunshine.

There are no big roadworks projects under way in Nicaragua right now... though, certainly, some of the roads could use improving.

And the Nicaraguans you pass as you travel around their country... they’re herding their cattle, tending their sugar cane, rocking slowly in their big wicker chairs... They seem in no hurry to get anywhere or to do anything in particular, and, watching them, you begin to wonder why you are.

The price of oil... the price of gold... the dollar/euro exchange rate... the closing figure for the Dow... these things all seem far away and unimportant when you wander the roads of this beautiful country. Nicaraguans may be aware of the world’s troubles, but they’re unaffected. And, again, spending time among them, you can’t help but wonder if they’ve figured out something you haven’t.

There’s something romantic... poetic in the Nicaraguan way of life. Infatuating.

The people of this little country have lived through troubled times. But they’re not bitter or calloused. They’re warm and welcoming. Big-hearted and quick with a smile.

They’re also strong and resilient... able to take the ups and downs of day-to-day living in their stride.

Spending time among them, you want to settle back and settle in, slow down and savor...